The Battle of Shok Valley (tribute to Ronald J. Shurer II)

This song is in tribute to one of the medals of honor recipients from this battle. Medic Ronald J. Shurer II.

Medals Awarded from This Engagement alone...
2 Medals of Honor
Staff Sgt. Ronald J. Shurer II (Special Forces medic)
Master Sgt. Matthew O. Williams (Weapons sergeant)
1 Air Force Cross
SrA Zachary Rhyner, the attached Air Force Combat Controller
10 Silver Stars
Awarded to members of Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA) 3336, including their combat cameraman

The Battle of Shok Valley on April 6, 2008, took place in cold, mountainous conditions at an elevation of over 10,000 feet in Nuristan Province, Afghanistan. The terrain was steep and jagged, with snow-capped peaks surrounding the valley. 29 year old medic Staff Sergeant Ronald J Shurer II along with 15 U.S. Soldiers and 100 Afghan commando's were on a mission to capture or kill Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, leader of the insurgent group Hezb-e Islami Gulbuddin (HIG). The high altitude and rugged terrain made it difficult for helicopters to land or maneuver, forcing soldiers to jump from hovering aircraft into rocky ledges and fast-moving rivers. In this daylight attack the enemy spotted the team immediately, giving them time to set up ambush positions. They had to fight uphill into fortified enemy stronghold with sparse cover. Despite all this, the team adapted with incredible resilience. They coordinated airstrikes, maneuvered under fire, and evacuated the wounded—all while surrounded and outnumbered. Despite being wounded himself, Shurer fought through enemy fire to reach and treat critically injured teammates, shielded them with his own body, and helped evacuate them down a cliff—saving every American life during one of the fiercest battles of the war. After the military he served with the U.S. Secret Service until his death from lung cancer on May 14, 2020, at the age of 41.